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Lessons from the Olive Tree

On Saturday, I visited the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay. It was my first time and I reveled in the astounding range of plants that God has created. In particular, one of the activities included snapping a WeFi with an olive tree.

The olive tree is gnarled and twisted with age. Jesus used to go to the Mount of Olives to pray and probably these are the trees he sat under. It’s amazing how seeing the type of tree helps unlock your biblical imagination in better ways.

A sign near the olive tree reads like this:

Do the words ring a bell? I hope the words of John 15 comes to mind! Jesus talks about God the father pruning us to become more fruitful. Without His pruning, we naturally are unruly and below fruit-bearing potential.

John 15:1-2

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

The secret to fruitfulness is to remain or abide in Jesus, the true vine. Jesus is the vine that supplies nutrients to us, the branches. Without him, we can do nothing.

Then as we abide, we naturally bear fruit and the Father prunes us to bear even more fruit. If we do not abide in Jesus, the Father instead of pruning, cuts and throws us away.

I hope this insight from the olive tree has deepened your understanding of John 15. May you be fruitful for the kingdom of God!